This disclosure relates generally to ionographic or electrophotographic imaging and printing apparatuses or reproduction machines, and more particularly is directed to providing a user feedback at a transparent platen used for scanning images.
In xerography (e.g., electrophotography, electrostatographic printing, or photocopying), a uniform electrostatic charge is placed upon a photoreceptor surface. The charged surface is then exposed to a light image of an original object to selectively dissipate the charge to form a latent electrostatic image of the original. The image is developed by depositing finely divided and charged particles (e.g., toner) upon the photoreceptor surface. The charged particulate is electrostatically attracted to the electrostatic image to create a visible replica of the original. The developed image is then transferred from the photoreceptor surface to a final substrate (e.g., paper). The particulate image is then fixed (“fused”) to the substrate to form a permanent replica (“photocopy”) of the original object.
In office copiers and scanners, a platen is a flat glass surface on which operators place papers or books for scanning, which is also referred to as the flatbed. Platens are also used in some printers, such as the dot-matrix printer and other image print systems. Image forming systems can vary in their features depending upon country of manufacture, model and specifications. For example, in most printing systems, the alignment markers are adjacent to a glass platen, upon which materials (e.g., documents, forms, books, or other items) to be scanned are supported. In the United States, for example, the alignment markers generally are provided at the right side of a glass platen and the scanning area for scanning or printing a copy is at a top right hand corner of the platen. However, in other geographical regions, a scanning area, in which the scanning material/items are placed, is in the center of the platen, or top-left. Depending upon the size of the paper selected for printing a scanned image on, the area in which the scanning material is aligned on the platen varies.
The variations in printers and alignment areas can sometimes be overlooked. Thus, a need arises to communicate more effectively to a user of printing systems in particular without impeding the image quality or copying process, while enhancing the copying process.